Become Me!

On the last day of the Sri Lanka trip, after visiting Vishwa Niketan, which is a unit of Sarvodaya founded by Dr A T Ariyaratne, Swami finished His discourse, and was departing for another meeting. As Swami was walking out holding the hands of Dr Ariyaratne, who after having heard Swami’s discourse was inspired and in all sincerity and innocence submitted to the Lord by saying, “Swami ji in the next two-three years, the world should change.”

Swami immediately looked into Dr Ariyaratne’s moist eyes which was filled with deep sincere feelings for the welfare of the world, inspired by which he has dedicated six decades of his life, and said, “Yes, we will change the world!”

When I heard this from Swami, I was very inspired, because what Swami said was not ‘I will change the world’ or ‘You will change the world’, but ‘We will change the world.’

Sometime ago when a devotee told Swami, “You are here in the subtle form for ten odd years, and Your mission will end once You finish building the schools and hospitals, and whatever else You have planned for this subtle phase of Your Avataric mission.” Swami was quick to respond and said, “If you have thought and understood that My mission in the subtle is only about building a few more schools and hospitals, projects and Ashrams, then you are wrong. My mission truly is to transform the last person on earth into divine. I was working, I am working, I will continue to work till the last person is transformed into divine!”

We have very limited understanding of what Swami is, what He does and what He is doing, and we try to put everything into our limited understanding and therefore fail to comprehend His vastness. On another occasion, when somebody asked, “Swami, You have such a grand mission, how can I help You in Your mission?” One would have thought that by being a doctor in the hospital or by being a teacher in the school or by being a volunteer in His Seva projects, one could help Him. But, Swami spoke again to the surprise of all when He said, “You can help Me in My mission by becoming Me, because if one Sai Baba could do so much, then two Sai Babas can do a lot more together!”

It made me think, as to what is the way we can participate in His mission and truly serve Him? It’s only possible if we all sincerely and deeply aspire to become like Him, nay become Him!